MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 163 



I am not sufficiently an anatomist to know whether sivalensls can be regarded 

 as a direct ancestor or only a collateral of the existing Mongolian horse ; but I 

 would say in passing that the rudimentary presence of face glands in Asiatic horses 

 as compared with their entire absence in the more highly domesticated horses of 

 Europe (by domesticated, I mean more highly modified by the breeder's science), 

 is no evidence whatever that they are descended from distinct wild species. 



As to the Kattiawar ponies, it is now generally admitted that the Gujars were 

 one of those tribes of " Scythians " who invaded India between the death of 

 Asoka and Mahmud of Ghazni, and there is little doubt that the Kathis were of 

 similar origin and brought their Mongolian ponies with them, the breed of 

 which they have jealously preserved ever since. 



L. C. H. YOUNG. 

 Bombay, August 1904. 



No. XV.— BIRDS OBSERVED IN THE NILGIRIS AND WYNAAD. 

 Having now had the opportunity of overhauling a part of my collection of 

 skins, I send thesa rough and unscientific notes (in the order in which 

 I have gone through my specimens) on a few birds observed in the Nilgiris and 

 Wynaad during a stay of 18 months in those parts. Some few of them and 

 their eggs I was able fortunately to collect. Should these notes prove of any 

 interest to members I shall be glad to continue them, but as they are likely to 

 be very imperfect I should be glad of any aid that could be given me by any 

 momber who takes an interest in the birds of those districts. I start with Striges 

 and Accipitres, having but just looked over these. 



Order— STRIGES. 

 Ketupa zeylonensis. — The Brown Fish Owl. 

 Blanford, No. 1164. 

 This was common on the Nilgiris and even more so in the Wynaad. 

 Huhua nepalensis. — The Forest Eagle Owl. 

 Blanford, No. 1170. 

 I twice came across this fine owl in the "Wynaad. I do not know if the 

 cry of this bird be that of the " Devil bird, " but my next-door neighbour, a 

 Ceylon planter, called my attention one night to a most eerie cry (or series of 

 yells) which he said was made by the Devil bird, and having seen a pair of 

 these owls near the garden a day previously I concluded it might be their 

 call (?) 



Scops bakkam^ena.— The Collared Scops Owl. 

 Blanford, No. 1178. 

 The species of Scops that I came across in the Nilgiris and Wynaad I con- 

 clude was this ; it was very common in the latter district, but I did not unfortu- 

 nately collect it. 



Athene brama. — The Spotted Owlet. 

 Blanford, No. 1180. 

 I fear I overlooked this very common bird. 



